Fate or Consequences
by Freshgal
Summary: After being apart for five years Danny and Valerie are thrown back together when a very powerful ghost holds Amity Park for ransome with Valerie as the price. Can Danny save her and the city or will this misterious ghost win all. DV and a little DS.
1. The Background

_I decided to write this after seeing the crappy "Flirting with Disaster". Danny and Valerie are one of my favorite couples and they just don't get justice.This is my first fanfiction.If you like it good. If you don't okay. I've been fantasizing this story in my mind for a while so it will be detailed. More chapters to come soon. Please Read and Review._

_Kiss Kiss,_

_Freshgal_

**

* * *

**

**Fate or Consequence**

Danny sat back in the leather chair and looked around.

"_Is this what my ghost hunting has become, just a seat and a desk in a precinct,"_ Danny though to himself. Of course he had to be grateful. When Jazz became mayor she thought it would do some good for Amity Park to have its own ghost task force, she made Danny the town halfa the chief of course. He was only 24 years old and was the head of his own branch of security in the local government. This would be any young man's dream.

Though he was happy with his position Danny's life felt empty. A lot had happened since that fateful day when he was turned into Danny Phantom. He had gained friends and enemies and lost people too. He opened bottom left drawer in his desk and reached all the way back. He retrieved a small old photograph from his senior year in high school. It pictured a young, tall, and lean boy with bright blue eyes who had his arms wrapped around slightly thicker ebony girl with dark brown curly hair and dark green eyes. He traced her face for a minute then turned the photo on its back to read the note. _Danny and Valerie PDA, grade 12._ He had finally worn her down at the end of sophomore year. Heck, he had even slowed down her ghost hunting; at least they had had two years.

His mind went back to the day that became one of the biggest turning points in his life. It was only weeks after the picture was taken. It was senior prom. The night had been cool and full of mischief but Danny didn't care, he was with her. They all had decided to go together: Sam, Tucker, Valerie, and Him. Sam's parents had let them borrow the limo and everyone was laughing, even though she seemed distant in a way. Tucker was busy e-mailing some girl in Russia who thought he was a future all-star basketball player (yeah right) while Danny and Valerie sung every song that came on the radio. Soon they'd be off to college. Valerie and Danny had secretly decided to move into a coed dorm so that they could share a room, not even Sam or Tucker knew. This was to be the best night of their lives but they were wrong.

They arrived at the party to see it was already jumping with people. Twista's light speed lyrics were bumping on the speakers. Valerie immediately grabbed Danny and pulled him to the dance floor. Sam's eye began to twitch as she saw the two grinding, but she swallowed down her hurt. "_He's happy, let them be,"_ a small voice said in her head "_That should be you," _a loader voice said. The only thing she could do was turn her back, but her pain was interrupted by a large crash. SkulkTech 9.9 blasted through the roof of the facility where the prom was held. "I got to go, I'll be right back, I'm going to go get help." he told Valerie. She looked up at him without fear, "I'll hold them off until you can get your dad or somebody." All he could do was smile, his little Amazon princess. He ran out the door. The familiar energy rings formed at his waist and traveled up and down his body. Danny Fenton was gone and Danny Phantom was in his place.

The ghost boy burst through the doors. "What are you doing here your shouldn't exist." Danny shouted.

"But we are here and we do exist and we're on a very important mission." SkulkTech responded robotically.

"Oh yeah, what's that"

"Doing this," with that SkulkTech pulled out a large laser and before he could move Danny was hit. SkulkTech vanished into a portal. He fell to the ground. His chest throbbed as if his heart was being wretched out. Gasps and awes were coming from the crowd. He looked down at his hands and body. He was human; he had been outed in front of the entire school. The only thought that ran through his head was Valerie. He looked over at her and wanted to die from what he saw. Her expression was disgust and she quickly turned heel and ran out the door.

"Valerie, no wait!" Danny cried after her. He followed her out of the door but it was too late, she was gone.

Danny became a hero and was praised by everyone. Valerie dropped out of school and ran away. The last news of her was that she had been taken under the wing of Vlad Masters. When he was killed by a very dangerous experiment, he left everything to Valerie. She stayed out of the spotlight but nearly tripled Vlad's assets by selling his weapons and quite a few she had made herself to ghost hunters. Even the force had some Master's weapons. Valerie had never returned to Amity Park and Danny was sure never planned to.

A very distressed officer interrupted Danny from his thoughts. "Uh sir we have a code x."

"A code X, you must be kidding we've never had a code X. No ghost is powerful enough to break right through the sensors."

"Sir, look outside." Danny turned to be confronted with what looked like Armageddon. The sky swirled with fire and ashes. "Okay this may be a problem."


	2. Caught on the Monitors

_Hi peoples,_

_Freshgal again. Just wanted to say thanx on my reviews, especially to you WingsOfMorphius I really like Unmasked. I try my best to deliver my dream to all of my readers. By the way, I have a forum up called The Hunt for all D/V lovers. Just drop by and talk. Please try to enjoy this chapter and send more reviews._

_Smooches (yes I am a girly girl),_

_Freshgal_

* * *

"Did we get anything on the sensors before it fried them?" Danny was heading to the monitoring room while the officer desperately tried to keep up and brief him at the same time.

"Yes…a little…sir" the officer wheezed desperately trying to catch up to his superior. " Whatever … it… is … it doesn't…seem…to be affecting… the…environment."

"Johnson?"

"Yes sir?"

"I'm so taking you off of desk duty." Johnson laughed. _At least I can supply a little humor to the situation, _Danny thought.

They opened the doors of the monitoring room to find a tall slightly built man typing with the near speed and accuracy of a computer.

"Anything Tuck," /Danny asked his best friend and head of technology for the force. It was one of the easiest decisions to make, give the techno geek his tech and every thing is right with the world.

"Well… Sort of,"

"I don't understand"

"It left us an EVP of some sort."

"Well let's hear it."

The sound that came over the speakers was near indescribable. The voice was androgynous and monotone but the power that came from it was undeniably strong. The words were gargled and came out more as moans. It was as if he passed out but he was still standing. Danny felt something warm and wet sliding down his lips and neck. He reached up and felt it. Blood. He looked around. Every one was in the same position except there was a body on the floor.

"Tuck!" Danny rushed over to his friend who just awoke as if nothing had happened though there was blood going down his shirt.

"Danny, what happened? Why am I on the floor? And why the hell are you bleeding so bad, did you get into a fight or something?"

"Tuck what do you remember?"

"I remember coming into work, checking the monitors, then something bad happened, then you came, we talked, and now I'm on the floor and you're bleeding. Did I punch you?"

"No, It was just a serious EVP that must have messed with us. It didn't really say anything just a lot of moaning that's all."

"If that's all then why are we bleeding everywhere, hmm?"

"I don't know, but what I do know is that nobody else is listening to that sound byte." He turned to the other officers in the room. "Nobody, and I do mean nobody is going to listen to the EVP under any circumstances until we can understand what it is capable of. Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir." They answered in chorus.

"Pass it on to your fellow officers and take a break to go clean yourselves up and see the clinic. Dismissed." Danny turned to his friend. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm good."

"I wonder why it affected you more?"

"Probably because I was closest to the speakers. Any ideas on what could do this, cause I'm thinking Ember just joined up with a powerful ghost. I mean come on its just been to quiet for something not to be going down in ghost world."

Tucker was right it had been quiet in Amity Park for a while. There hadn't been one ghost making fuss for two months. Now this, but there was something irking Danny. This just didn't seem like a local job.

"I don't think its Ember. It's not her style; she's a hypnotist, why would she want to fry your brain when she can control it?

"Good point, but if its not ember, who is it?"

"I don't know but I'm sure we'll find out I'm giving you the rest of the day off, go home and rest I'll call and see what's up."

"Thanks, but what about you."

"I'm going to stay at the office and work more on this new entity." The truth was Danny didn't want to go home to his empty high rise.

The road of love had been hard on him. After Valerie left he was alone for a while but he and Sam began to grow together. They started going out the end of their freshman year of college. It had been great for a while but they began to grow apart. They had little in common and began to grow apart. They decided to break it off to save what remained of their friendship.

Afterwards she started seeing Dash who had reinvented himself as an artist after getting in a fight over somebody else's girlfriend and permanently damaging his throwing arm, ruining his chance at football stardom. His paintings were actually pretty good considering his main muse of pain was not being rich and famous. Despite such shallowness, he and Sam were engaged and slowly approaching the big day. Danny was happy for them, he was still her friend and happy she had found her soul mate. Danny on the other hand was still searching.

His search had lead to Paullina who had desperately wanted him since she found out he was Danny Phantom. There relationship was shallow and mostly there for the sake of being. He learned to hate her pettiness and materialistic ways. She was trapped in a fairy tale. Danny eventually broke it off, much to her displeasure, but every once in a while would call her during a haplessly lonely night. He would not make this night one of those.

"Alright, whatever. Just be careful don't stay up too late." Tucker said breaking his thoughts.

"I'll try not to Mom" Danny said mockingly, helping his friend up.

"Oh ha, ha, very funny. Its all jokes with the halfa huh, InvisoBill." Tucker fired at him.

Danny gave him an evil glare but laughed it off and walked him to the elevator. He ignored the stares, just not remembering he was covered in blood, and went into his office. He was glad his office came with a bathroom and went in to clean up. He came back and pulled a change of clothes out of his desk. Underneath them he found a book titled Poem of the Painful Soul by Sam Manson. Danny laughed he had had it for weeks but had yet opened it up to read. Since it was late in the day he decided to check it out. He didn't get past the third poem; he fell asleep on his desk. He guessed the EVP had a delayed affect on him.

He dreamed he was back in his old high school in the middle of the night. All of a sudden a girl who seemed glow in the dark appeared before, she opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. Then, she lunged at him with huge talons. He quickly became Phantom, but she stopped.

"Good, you can hear me."

Danny woke up sweating and a little bit frightened. He knew what do. He went to the monitoring room and turned into Danny Phantom. He turned the volume down and put on a pair of headsets. He played the EVP.

"Mr. Fenton it seems you have found the secret lets just hope it wasn't done to late. We are taking Amity Park under our control. Since receiving this message you have 5 days to get us what we want or we will suffocate all in Amity Park and whoever else in a two-mile radius. It will be like Pompeii without the volcano and lava."

"What do you want?" Danny asked fiercely.

Almost as if on cue it responded, "We want the one called Valerie Gray."

Danny sat back in shock. Does anybody know where she really is? Would she even come? He was at a loss for words but picked up his cell phone to call in a favor a major favor.

"Hello"

"Dr. Gray? Its Danny."

* * *

_I hope you like the second chapter. I made it longer and there's more dialogue. For those of you don't know what an EVP is, its an Electronic Voice Phenomena, very freaky to listen to. Ever since "Fanning the Flames" I've though about Sam and Dash, but don't worry she'll come back later in the story. This chapter is dedicated to Sherrie Travis, love you cuz. Okay people review me._

_More smooches._


	3. The Return of Valerie

_People,_

_I love writing for you, but you have to review me. I mean seriously tell me something, even if you hate it. For those who have reviewed me, thank you for your comments and you missed an awesome happy dance. If anybody wants to get in contact with me do not email, instead go to my myspace. I hardly read my email. Lo siento. Yes I speak some Spanish and I like to show it off._

_Ciao,_

_Freshgal_

* * *

Valerie shook herself awake. She couldn't believe she had the dream again. Ever since she left Amity Park she had the dream. It had started out every night but simmered down to every now and then, but for the last three months the dreams were coming on strong.

It always started with her walking down a hallway. She was passing by everyone she knew, human and ghost. They were all clapping for her and she felt an overwhelming sense of pride and happiness. She would enter a large room with two large thrones. There stood a man who she didn't recognize at first, but she approached him anyway. The man turned around, it was Danny. He reached his hand out to her.

"At last my queen has arrived. Come Valerie and accept your crown, it is your fate, it is your destiny."

As she reached for his hand something changed. She was no longer proud and happy, she was afraid for her life. She quickly snatched back her hand and screamed. He grabbed her and dragged her to the throne.

"No is not an option Valerie. You can't leave me, you won't. You're going to be here forever. Aren't you my little queen?" His voice was deeper and colder. "Aren't you?" A pair of red eyes appeared before her face.

This was the time when she usually woke up screaming. Vlad would come to her room and ask her what's wrong. She would tell him and he would comfort her by telling her it was just a dream, but now she didn't have Vlad. She taught herself not to scream anymore, but the fear was still there.

Valerie looked over at the clock it read 9:30. She cursed herself; the lack of sleep had really messed up her biological clock. _Another late day,_ she thought to herself. She dragged herself out of bed and hit the floor and started her morning push-ups. Amazingly, no matter how much she worked out she never got bulky. For this she was glad. She hadn't lost her baby fat, but it rather moved to her breasts and butt. This seemed hot to guys, but it made it harder for her to balance during fights.

When she was done she went and showered. There was a knock on her bathroom door. "Miss Valerie, running a little late aren't we?"

Valerie sighed. Sometimes she wondered why she gave that girl a key, but who was she kidding she was her best friend and watched over her and her assets.

"Alright Shanna, I'll be out in a sec'." Shanna Deaton was her PA the closest thing she had to family on Wisconsin now that Vlad was dead. She shuddered thinking about her deceased tutor and friend.

She turned of the water and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped a towel around her body and opened the door. The brunette was sitting on her bed going through her PDA. Valerie had to laugh to herself, a PA on a PDA.

"Okay, you've got an invite to the governor's ball, luncheon with the sheik from Morocco who wants a part of Master's Weaponry, and _The National Enquirer _wants an interview, oh and your dad called."

"No, no, hell no, and what's up with Daddy?" Valerie asked. Even though she no longer lived in Amity Park, Valerie and her father were still very close. She sent him gifts from other countries when she went traveling. She also sent for him to come to the mansion anytime he was free.

"I don't know, he just said that it was really serious"

"Uh Shanna, you could have put that first."

"Well sorry!" She passed Valerie her cell phone. Valerie scrolled down the names until she found his name and pressed the call button. The phone had barely ringed when he picked up.

"Hello, Valerie."

"Yea Dad, what's up?"

"Valerie," her father's voice seemed agitated and scarred, "you have to come back to Amity, something has happened. I wouldn't have asked you back if I could, but I can't. I'm sorry Val, but you have to come back."

"Dad slow down, you're not making sense. What's going on? Why do I need to come back?"

"It's a ghost, a big ghost. It's threatening to kill everyone in the city in 4 days. Its powerful."

"Why doesn't everyone evacuate."

"It won't let us leave. Every time someone tries to a bolt of lightening hits near them. Any farther and they get hit, not enough to kill them but enough to hurt."

"Well what the heck is wonder boy doing?"

"Danny is trying his best but we need you to come Valerie, but you need to come, you have to come."

"Why?"

"It asked for you, its because it asked directly for you." Her father's voice was full of sorrow, " It said if you don't come in 4 days it will destroy Amity Park." Valerie froze where she stood. She had decided when she ran away that she never wanted to return that place. There was just too many memories there and people she definately didn't want to see.

She was embarrassed and disgusted with herself when she found out who Danny really was. She just couldn't live with herself after that and had to leave. Vlad welcomed her with open arms and happily accepted. It was like having another dad. He was kind and loving. She trusted him with her life and was crushed when he was killed. No one really knew how it happened just all the signs were there so it was a near no-brainer.

"I understand."

She hung up the phone and looked over at Shanna. "I've got to go."

"Val, what's up, you don't look so hot."

"I've got to go, I've got to go back home. Call the airport and tell them to my the jet ready, I'm going to Amity Park."

"Okay I'll call them and start packing."

"No, you can't come. Its one of those things." She looked over at her assistant and gave her a look she understood completely.

"What weapons should I pack for you?" she said as calmly as possible.

"My suit and the DD set will do nicely." The look on Shanna's face was full of fear and confusion. "Yeah its that bad," she answered then added with a slight smile, "Don't worry girl, I'll be okay, just an in and out situation."

" How can you be okay if you're asking for the Dooms Day set?"

"Just trust me, and please find me something to wear."

Shanna smiled. "Ok. I'm thinking something that says sexy bad girl. Just in case you meet up with that Danny guy."

"Not likely and not going to happen. We've been over for 5 years."

"But think about it, he might still harboring some feelings for you and you could really mess with his head. Or you cold just turn some heads, I mean it's been a while since you've had a boyfriend."

"First of all shut up. Second I'm not really that type of girl, and third something not too skanky or desperate just enough to make mouths water." She winked at her friend and laughed.

Valerie ended up leaving for the airport in a khaki mid-mini skirt, an orange backless shirt, a tan jacket, a pair of wedge sandals, and her now straightened hair pulled back with 2 hair sticks. Not exactly her normal style but really cute.

As the plane took off all she could think about was Amity Park. What would everyone look like? How have things changed? She clicked her French-manicured nails together in contemplation.

Did Sam and Danny get together? They were probably married by now. She felt a slight twinge of jealousy that she pushed away. _Forget it Val, you may love Danny but he's still Phantom, _a voice in her head chided. "I don't love Danny." She answered herself out loud. _Sure you don't._

She was about to answer back when the seatbelt light came on. The plane was about to land. She relaxed and prepared herself for the reunion of her and the citizens of Amity Park.

For the safety of the pilot and the fact that Amity didn't really have its own airport she landed in a neighboring city. Shanna had already rented a car for her, the angel, and Valerie started on her journey towards her old hometown.

It was a quiet drive until she was close to the city-limits, and Valerie was face with a wondrous sight. The sky was a swirling vortex of fire with its core dead in the center of Amity Park. _Hmm, all this for me, who did I piss off?_

She drove into to the city. The streets were pretty much empty except for a brave soul or two. _Everyone must be inside under lockdown, _Valerie thought.

She recognized the car she bought her dad and parked. It was in front of a building the read: Amity Park Phenomenon Task Force. _This must be the place._

She exited the car and walked right through the front door. "Well hello Miss. Gray" Valerie looked to see a familiar blonde behind the main desk.

"Star?" she reached over the desk and hugged her, at one time, best friend. "Girl, you look great."

"Oh you're one to talk. That is one of the hottest outfits I've ever seen… see what you've I'm hear talking about fashion when you're here to save our asses."

"Girl, don't trip. I'm glad to see you're doing well."

"Yeah, but don't let me hold you up. Everyone is in the conference room, down the hall and to the right can't miss it."

Valerie said thanks and goodbye and headed for the conference room. No one seemed to be at their desks so she guessed they were at home or in the meeting. Luckily there was a bathroom on her way there, she slipped in and prepared for her biggest test. Seeing him. She checked herself about 5 times and then headed for the conference room.

Due to her martial art skills and cat like reflexes she slipped in the room unnoticed. The room was dark and there was a project displaying different plans on a white board. She stood over in one of the dark back corners. Her father was up on the board seeming to try to put up alternate plans of actions. Her Daddy, always trying to protect her from hurt.

" Okay are we sure its Valerie they want."

"We're very sure. I was able to record what Danny heard instead of what the EVP put off, this will be the first time anyone's heard it other that me or Danny." Tucker responded.

All of a sudden a definitely ghostly came over the speakers. "…We want Valerie Gray."

"Wait there's more."

"On the final day a palace will rise in the center of the city. She must come with only one other. If our demands are not met or not followed in anyway we will destroy the city."

Valerie spoke up, "Well that's about as clear as a bell." Someone turned on the lights and everyone turned to see the beautiful girl standing in the corner. "You all look like you've seen a ghost," she said smiling. When everyone still seemed stuck looking at her she broke the ice, "Don't everyone get up at once I've only just been gone for 5 years."

Everyone seemed to break from their trance, stood up, and started the reunions and introductions. Only a few of the people she truly knew, others were acquaintances or just citizens who knew of her. She saw a tall, built, black haired guy standing a bit away from the crowd staring at her with vivid blue eyes. She stared back at him for a moment before giving him a slight nod. He returned it. That was their greeting; more of an acknowledging of each other's existence.

After the catching up was over, Valerie decided to speak, "So who's going with me?"

"I am." Valerie turned to see Danny looking straight at her. She smiled slightly in an almost unnerving way.

"So be it."

* * *

_Aw is there some tension in Danny x Valerie land. Uh duh. I know there is a lot of dialogue and little action but I just want to make a good story. This chapter is dedicated to Shanna Deaton. Sounds familiar? Yea well she's my buddy. Alrighty, you know the drill. Review me please!_

_Heart you all._


	4. We've got Company!

_Good day people,_

_Yes I'm back after a quick recess. I needed it. You all have been so nice. So many people have read my story and seem happy with it. Evilevergreen I will try to do better on the grammar this time ok. Seriously though thanks for caring, it irks me to death to read it on the website and find mistakes. This should be a good chapter, more action. Anyways, this is my fourth chapter._

_And all that jazz,_

_Freshgal_

* * *

The focus of the meeting turned from other options as Dr. Gray realized that he could not prevent his daughter from going.

"Do we even know what you are going to fight this thing with?" Dr. Gray asked his daughter, a little perturbed because he could not get his way.

"I brought my own weapons." Valerie responded coolly. She picked up the brief case she had carried with her into the precinct and laid it on the table. Valerie pressed a code on the side and the case clicked, she slowly opened it to reveal an assortment of weapons and a small bag.

"This my friends," she said holding up what looked like a sleek, silver, rounded off handgun, " is the new and improved ecto-ray it is 10x's stronger and more portable." She continued showing them each new item, introducing them to the long-range ecto-blast, an ecto-flash bomb, and an assortment of other goodies.

"Hey what's in the bag?" asked tucker looking at it curiously.

"Glad you asked," responded Valerie removing a pair of gloves from its depths, "These are called E-gloves. They are especially made for fighting ghosts." She reached over and lightly touched the side of Danny's wrist. Danny sucked in through his teeth and gave a frightening flash of Phantom's luminescent green eyes. She pulled her hand back trying hard to cover the bit of fear that had just washed over her. There was a sizable bruise where her fingers had been. "Th-They emit a constant charge of the energy that damage ghosts the most," she bit her lower lip in such a light way only Danny noticed it, "without hurting the user."

"Cool!" commented Tucker who pick up Danny's arm and lightly tapped the bruise.

"Back off Tuck." Danny hissed at him snatching his arm away and looking back at Valerie who immediately averted her eyes, failing miserably at concealing the fact that she was near staring at him.

The truth was that she couldn't understand what she was feeling right now. She was usually separated from affair in her own offhand way but in this meeting it felt like Danny's presence was slowly pulling her in. She couldn't help but feel a little vulnerable around him. In fact, she was slightly afraid of him. He did try to kill her once, though everyone claims it was an accident. This only made her want to hurt him more. Why should she feel like this around him? Why does she have the dreams about him? _You love him,_ the inner voice hissed. _Go Away!_ she hissed back.

The meeting was ended due to the fact that it was nearly 11:56. They began to filter out of the conference room. Tuck grabbed Danny and pulled him outside.

"You and Valerie are going to either marry or kill each other, either way you guys are just too passionate to be apart." joked Tucker.

"Tuck, you are reading way into stuff it's not even like that." Danny responded.

"Oh really, then why do you still have her picture?"

"You've been going through my personal desk!" Danny's voice was full of anger.

"Holy crap! You do have a picture of her, don't you?" Tuck looked amazed, "I mean I was just playing you, but wow man you really love her."

"Just shut it Tucker. God, you the most immature person I have ever met." Danny spat.

"Just keeping my title, Danny."

A pale girl with flowing black hair that seemed to wrap around her walked up to the two. "Hey guys, sorry I'm so late Dash's gallery ran over. Where's the meeting." Sam asked.

"Its over Sam. You need to manage your time better." Tucker scolded. "Where's the PDA I got you for Hanukah."

"Is that who I think it is?" Sam said trying to change the subject, " Valerie, its me Sam."

"Sam Manson," she said walking up to the group. Danny noticed the fact that her walk was very calculated and even. And on a scary note he could hardly hear her shoes hit the floor. "Long time, no see. Why weren't you at the meeting?"

" Art gallery. You look really good."

"Thanks, so do you."

There was a slight silence followed by a soft whirr.

"DUCK!" both Danny and Valerie shouted at the same time. Everyone did do except Tucker. Valerie and Danny grabbed his wrists to pull him down but, heard his scream and felt a warm spray upon their faces.

Luckily they had snatched him back just far enough that the ghost blade slashed across hiss chest but didn't reach bone. Sam removed a smock from her bag and placed it to Tucker's chest to stop the bleeding. Valerie was in a low crouch and reached under her skirt to pull out the ecto-gun from its holster on her thigh. She pressed a button on her watch and her uniform spread over her body. Danny created two rings around his waist that changed him into Danny Phantom.

"Who are you?" Valerie called out.

"Valerie, Valerie, Valerie, I came all the way across the pond to see you, love." a voice retorted in a strong British accent. Then there stood a scraggly man with what looked like a scythe head dripping with blood on a long chain.

"Jack the Reaper," she breathed to herself, "Why aren't you in England." she shouted at him.

"Well love, there's two reasons. 1. This big ghost is making quite a big ripple in the Ghost Zone andweghosts just happen todraw to it. And2. Any ghost who wants a piece of you is a friend to me." He laughed evilly and licked his lips at her. "Mmm. I want a real good piece."

* * *

_Yeah I'm saving the good fight for next chapter. This is just a short one to keep you on the line. Tuck really needs to get to the hospital though. Yeah, I didn't even see that one coming at first. Ouch! Oh but more pain in store. Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to Akita, my big sister. Love you girl._

_I'll be back with more._

_oh and btw,_

_I do not own any of the Danny Phantom characters, but Jack is all mine._


	5. Deal with it

_Aloha,_

_It's me, Freshgal, back again to bring you the story of Fate or Consequences. I am so happy to be here with you all, sharing and caring, feeling pretty sappy because I have issues right now with not seeing Underworld: Evolution on its opening day, sigh. Anyhow, It gives me time to write this for you. Oh, I also changed Danny and Valerie's costumes. Danny's because he's older and now the head of his own task force, so it's more of a military style, and Valerie's because I just hate her new one. Hope you like the chapter._

_Hugs and Kisses,_

_Freshgal_

* * *

Valerie firmly stood her ground. She had beaten Jack before and she could beat him again. She glanced down for only a sec to make sure Sam had everything okay with Tucker. It was strangely quiet. That was when she heard Jack cry out. She looked to her side but Danny was long gone. Her eyes focused on the battle in front of her. 

Jack had no chance. Valerie had never seen Danny fight so hard. Blasts came from his hands at amazing speeds. Jack was in a constant state of pain and soon fell, but Danny didn't stop. The blasts just kept coming and coming.

"Danny stop!" Valerie heard herself say. She thought she would be the last one to say something that would protect a ghost, but her mind was on Tucker. He could be slowly bleeding to death and she couldn't have his death on her hands, nor Danny's.

Phantom pulled back, the blasts that had been coming from his hands ceased. He reached into a holster on his belt and pulled out a thermos. He opened it and aimed it at the soft glimmer of what used to be a powerful ghost. The glimmer was sucked up into the thermos without even a fight.

He floated down to the ground and without a word picked up Tucker and began to fly him to the hospital. Valerie could have sworn she saw a slash of red in his eyes but decided that the bright blasts had temporarily screwed up her vision. She helped up a distraught Sam and began a fast walk toward the hospital.

When they arrived there they saw Danny, still in Phantom form, with his head in his hands and still covered in blood. Sam immediately ran over to him and put her arm around him. Valerie felt like an outsider, this was a very serious moment between the three friends and she was mostly the cause of it. She was about to turn and leave, when the doctor came out.

"There is nothing to worry about, Mr. Foley is fine. There was quite a loss of blood but surprisingly he is very stable. It would have been much worse if you didn't get him here when you did. He just needs some rest. You may see him if you want." The three relaxed but Sam didn't stop crying. She ran over to Valerie and wrapped her arms around her.

"He would have died. He would have died if you hadn't said anything," she cried onto Valerie's shoulder, "You saved his life."

Valerie just stood there a minute slightly thrown off by the surge of emotions coming from the once deeply Goth-girl before softly returning the hug. She was happy for them; the three would not be separated after all. All of a sudden she felt a larger cold presence standing tall above the two of them.

"Are you ready to see him?" Danny asked. His voice was full of concern and a little guilt.

Valerie looked up into his luminous green eyes, "Yeah, we're ready."

The group walked into the hospital room to see Tucker sitting up flipping through channels on the TV. His skin was pale and he looked tired but he seemed pretty normal.

"Didn't the doctor say that you're supposed to be resting?" Danny scolded.

"Yeah, but doctors also say that cell phones give you cancer and I'm not dead yet." Tucker joked. Sam ran over to him and hugged him. "Ow!" he winced. Sam apologized and stepped back.

"Hey Valerie, You changed your suit." Tucker observed. It was true, her suit now consisted of pants, boots, collared no sleeve shirt, and biker gloves. All black with red trim and made out of a skintight fabric, except for the boots, which were leather. To top it all off she had a visor over her eyes connected to an earpiece on her right ear.

"Yeah it's made out of material developed by Masters Weaponry for ghost combat. Its as if you're not wearing anything at all, and I see ghost-boy has changed his outfit too." Valerie commented to keep the conversation light. Danny laughed a little and ran his hand through his snow-white hair. His suit now made him look like a ghostly G.I. Joe. He wore jet black BDU pants, combat boots, a white belt, and vest with his insignia on it.

"Yeah we've all changed a lot." Sam said, now that she had stopped crying. The room became uncomfortably quiet and everyone grew slightly distant. Tucker finally couldn't stand the quiet anymore:

"You know you guys do have tactical training in the morning."

Valerie's mind clicked, in the recent attack she nearly forgot she had to go face the ghost responsible for threatening the people of Amity Park. "Yeah you're right. We're just keeping you from getting some sleep. She reached over and held his hand for a moment before gently squeezing it reassuringly. "Keep safe Tuck.

"Will do Val."

"Yeah I should be heading out too, Dash is probably flipping." Valerie was caught off guard once again by Sam. They began to walk out when Sam turned and looked at Danny:

"Aren't you coming?"

"I'm going to stay here with Tuck." Danny responded.

"Oh, ok."

Sam and Valerie left the hospital room. Things were quiet until they made it to the doors. Valerie kept glancing over at Sam unsure of what to say. Finally she got the nerve to speak up:

"Am I completely losing it or did I hear you say that Dash would be flipping out."

"No, you heard right. Dash and I are engaged. See," she said holding up her left hand. Valerie had seen the ring earlier but thought someone else had given it to her. Somewhere inside of her a part of her was nearly overjoyed to find out the ring was not given to Sam by Danny. "Our wedding is supposed to be this spring, hopefully we will all be around to enjoy it. By the way, you must give me your address so I can send you an invite." Sam said smiling.

Valerie smiled back; she and Sam had come a long way from fighting each other over a guy to this. Valerie sighed, "Funny how things turned out, I though it would be Danny you're marrying not Dash."

"Well I guess Danny and I just weren't meant to be. There were just too many things between us that we were doomed before we could start." Valerie slightly winced at that comment but let it slide off. Even though they'd made good strides it doesn't make the hurt go away.

She walked Sam home then went to her dad's new house. As she lay in bed she wondered for the first time, how was Danny holding up? She turned in bed and tried her best to sleep.

* * *

Danny hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until a pillow hit him in the face. "Dude, seriously, wake up its nearly 7:30." Tucker laughed seeing the look on Danny's face.

"Oh very nice Tucker." Danny growled. His head hurt and he was out of ghost form.

"Danny you really need to go home and take a shower before you go to work because I don't thing my blood makes that much of a good fashion statement." Tucker joked "Plus, you don't want to _Valerie_ to see you like this all the time."

"Tucker you really should keep your mouth shut." Danny hissed.

"Alright Danny. Just let the super hot girl walk away. I mean come on; she has a thigh holster, a thigh holster. How sexy is that!"

"Yeah, yeah what ever just get some rest and I'll be back when the training session is over." Danny walked out the door and headed back to the precinct. He got into his car and went home. As he got cleaned up and dressed all he could think about was she. How was she the only thing that stopped him from continuing his attack on that Jack-guy? Why does this new ghost want her so bad? Why did he want her so bad? He tried to push her to the back of his mind. This day would be long enough without his feelings mucking things up.

* * *

_And so there it is, chapter 5, all big and bad. My head hurts so this is all I can write as an ending thought. Lo siento. Review Please._

_Peace and Love._


	6. Training Session

_My gorgeous readers,_

_How are you? Are you good? Did you miss me? Have you been checking the computer daily for my next update? If you said yes to the last two questions shut up because I know you are so lying. laughing Just jokes people. Glad for those who like my writing though I am starting to get a bit self-conscious. Anyways this is my sixth and longest chapter so far. So enjoy it, I hope._

_Freaking out a little,_

_Freshgal_

* * *

Danny entered the dojo that the department had rented out for the training session. There he found Valerie stretching her legs on the floor. She wore the same thing he wore: a pair of sweats and a hoodie. At Valerie's request the training was private. Tucker thought it sounded like a trap and insisted having another officer there, but Danny trusted her. He at least owed her his trust for what he had put her through.

"Danny." she greeted him without looking up.

"Valerie." he answered back.

The moment between them was undeniably awkward. This was the first time they had been in a room alone together since before senior prom. Even though Danny wasn't in ghost form he could feel a cool hate rising off of her, one that takes years to develop. It stung him hard to know that Valerie felt this way about him but decided to deal with it later.

He began stretching as well. During the first part of training he decided to stay human to see if Valerie was still up on her game, kind of like a ghost hunting physical. He looked over at her as they stretched. Her face was full of concentration and deliberation.

She avoided his eyes even though he knew she knew he was watching her. He had been ever since she arrived in Amity. She was just so different. Her beautifully curled hair was now harshly straightened. It wasn't that he didn't like it now, it suited her it was the fact that she knew he liked her hair curly. Well at least she didn't chop it all off like she did in the future where he was evil. It was as if everything she did she did just to make him upset. He frowned subconsciously.

Valerie slowly rose up stretching her back as she did. "You ready Fenton or are we just going to stretch all day?" her voice was full of sarcasm.

Danny just looked up at her and nodded. He stood up and faced her. "Alright Val, we're going to star off with some sparring to see where to start. Is that okay?"

Without making eye contact Valerie nodded. She slowly shifted to the right and put her hands on her hips, "Whenever you're ready Fenton." She didn't move from her position.

Danny sighed and threw a punch that was two inches to the right of her face. Without even flinching she grabbed his arm and, to his surprise, flipped him clear across the room. "Did you forget about the ninth degree black belt or what?"

Danny just sighed and stood up. He removed his hoodie and was left in a jet-black wife beater. He cracked his neck and prepared for her next hit. Valerie crouched low to the ground and, for the first time, looked him square in the eye. The action was so unnerving that Danny almost missed blocking the round kick that was meant to trip him.

He stumbled to the left and barley gained back his ground when Valerie came cross with a right hook. Danny grabbed her hand before it could connect and twisted it behind her back, but Valerie kept twisting so that she ended facing him with his grip still on her right hand. She then turned and flipped again but this time Danny pulled her with him. He let go of her arm and she immediately pulled back into her crouching position.

She stared into his eyes, a trace of confusion in hers. She then pushed her weight back on her heels. Danny realized too late what was going on as Valerie launched at him and pinned his shoulders to the mat. He was able to squirm hard enough to push her off of him. He lay there a minute until having to dodge Valerie's elbow that landed right where his face was. She then went back to the crouch.

It was as if she was a cat playing with a mouse. Then she did a move he never thought possible. She went from her crouch into a forward roll but when her hands touched the floor she kicked off with her feet and did a near perfectly vertical handstand and came down with her heels into his chest. The wind was knocked out of him and she straddled his chest and looked down upon him.

"Why do you never fight me," she hissed, "Don't hold back, I deserve a good fight at least."

Then to her surprise, and his, Danny flipped her over and pinned her to the ground effortlessly. They stayed like that for a long time. Their breathing was heavy and near deafening. They just stared into each other's eyes, trying to find a weakness or breaking point. Valerie could see flashes of red in his eyes that slowly went away as his breathing slowed.

Danny started to feel fear come from her and stood up and brushed off. He reached out a hand to help her up which she regretfully accepted. She walked over to her bag on the opposite side of the dojo and took out her water bottle. She took a swig of water never taking her eyes off him.

It was Danny time to avoid eye contact. "This will conclude our first day of training," he said with his head down and his head down and his hand on the back of his neck, "What was that fighting style you were doing anyway?"

"Its called Bastet. I developed it after a stint in Egypt. It's a mixture of capoeira and some new moves I came up with."

"Oh like that hand stand, break rib thing?"

Valerie couldn't failed to hide her giggles, "You mean the cradle." "Cradle?" "It's a myth that cats would sneak into the cribs of children and steal their breath. Thus the cradle takes your breath away."

"Huh, smart."

"I even wrote a book on it."

"Wow, I'll have to look that up." The truth was that Danny had bought the book but only because it was written by Valerie. He now decided that when he got home he would read it.

He and Valerie left the dojo and went their separate ways. Both seemed lightened by the release of tension today. Maybe they could actually do this without killing each other.

Though a new path made, Valerie was still worried. The dream constantly haunted her and why did Danny's eyes flash like that when he was fighting. She decided not to let her mind press on it much longer. She had only two days left until the "palace" came and she and Danny have to face the ghost that could be twenty times as powerful at the ghost king. She shuddered at the thought.

She pulled into the driveway of her dad's house to see he wasn't there. _Must be at work,_ Valerie thought to herself as she entered the two-story colonial. She grabbed a power bar from the kitchen ran up the stairs and to through her stuff into her room. She turned on the shower in her private bathroom and picked out some orange loungewear.

She slid under the hot water of the shower and let it wash her troubles away. For the time the dream, the mystery ghost, Amity Park, and even Danny slipped down the drain with the water. She breathed a heavy sigh and nearly fell asleep under the soothing showerhead.

She exited the shower and dried off. The effects of the shower had not worn off yet so she decided to take a quick nap. She lay on her bed and slowly nodded off into slumber.

She was suddenly in the gym of her old high school. She had on a pair of boxing gloves. "What the f-," She was interrupted by a giant heart coming out of nowhere, also with boxing gloves on its hands.

Without even a warning the heart hit her so hard that she was sent sliding all the way across the gym floor. A girl who seemed to be glowing stepped out in front of her smiling.

"Love hurts, huh? Well get used to it."

Valerie woke up sweating. It was dark outside and her clock said 8:30. Had she really slept that late? What was up with that dream? Valerie showered again and went downstairs for dinner. What ever was going on, it was getting stranger by the minute.

_

* * *

__Ha, ha made you laugh. What's going on with Danny? What's going on with Valerie for that matter? Anyways just review me please. I would be ever so grateful. Seriously I would. Honestly, you have to believe me._

_Whatever may come._

_BTW, Bastetegyptian godess-_

_The Tearer._

_Cult Center __Bubastis in the Delta.  
__AttributesAs a sun goddess she represents the warm, life giving power of the sun. Her cult appears as early as the Second Dynasty. Like a cat, she was admired for her agility and strength. Bast defendedRa ag__ainst the serpent Apep.  
__RepresentationA woman with the head of a domesticated cat, sometimes holding a sistrum__.  
__RelationsDaughter and wife of Ra__, mother of Khensu and Maahes.  
__Other Names Bast. _


	7. Love and Hate

Party peoples,

How's it going? Go Spurs! Sorry for the random second comment but I had a bit of an awkward moment with a cute guy and a Spurs shirt a while back. Sorry I've been gone so long, I had a serious case of the flu. I couldn't even look at a computer for a while. I finished _Son of a Witch_, which was such a good book, but now I have nothing to read. Oh well, _Chronicles of Narnia_ it is. Yeah but anyways this is chapter number 7. Enjoy it, R&R. You know the drill.

* * *

Valerie walked into the hospital with mind wandering. She wore a dark-wash mini-skirt, black wedge heels, a black shirt with a lion's profile on the front, and a matching clutch. She walked up to the nurse's desk and greeted the mature raven haired woman: 

"Hi, I'm here to see Tucker Foley."

"Of course, sweetie, he's in room 142." the lady responded.

"Thank you." Valerie walked to the elevator. Since she was the only one in there, she decided to go over her scrambled thoughts:

_What are you doing here?_

_I am here to see a friend._

_Oh really, or are you here because you can't be left alone with me?_

_I can't be left alone with whom?_

_Me, your dirty little mind._

_I don't understand._

_The way he looks at you, the way he talks to you, it's driving you over the edge. He's making you crazier than you are. Making you crazy for him._

_I am not crazy, especially not for Fenton. _

_Then why are you arguing with yourself?_

Thankfully the elevator stopped. _Saved by the Bell,_ Valerie thought as she rushed from to find the room. She found the room and knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in." said a voice from inside she recognized as Tucker's. She silently opened the door and slipped in. Tucker's eyes were glued to the T.V, " I said come in- oh hey Valerie you're pretty sneaky with that kung fu stuff."

Valerie laughed a little and then pulled an envelope from her purse and handed it to him. He opened it up and pulled out a card that said, "Get well soon" in a computer-like voice, "I thought you would like something a little techie." she told him.

"Wow, thanks Valerie." He put the card on the side table, that's when she noticed they weren't alone in the room. Curled up on the second bed in the room was a slumbering Danny. Following her eyes Tucker reassured her, "Don't worry Valerie Danny sleeps like the dead."

"Yeah I know." Both found themselves in an awkward moment. Valerie broke the silence by taking a seat and asking, "So how are you doing Tucker?"

He smiled and stood up straighter "No ghost can handle this," Val giggled, "By the way how did you know that guy or should I say how did he know you?"

"I was called to England to investigate a series of murders of pretty girls where no evidence was left. I guessed the culprit couldn't be human and the led me to Jack the Reaper. I fought him and thought I had put him in the ghost zone for sure but as you know ghosts have a way of popping back up."

Tucker nodded his head. With all the times he had to use his PDA on Skulker he knew exactly what she meant. "I don't know if I can take it any longer."

"What do you mean?" Valerie asked sincerely. She did care about Tucker as a friend and always would.

"The doctor won't let me have my PDA back just because I tore open my stitches while working on an assignment for the force."

"I'm glad he doesn't and why does Danny still have you working when he knows you're hurt?"

"First of all don't side with him and second Danny doesn't know."

"Ah, I see." Valerie smiled and looked distant for a moment.

"Why can't you and Danny just stop fighting and get along?"

Valerie was thrown off by his comment. She looked over at him and forced a smile, "Tucker lets not talk about this. I came to visit and make sure you're okay not dig up the past."

"Well maybe it's about time someone did some digging. You and Danny stay as distant as you can but you can't stop looking at each other."

"I'm not looking at Danny and why would I be? He hurt me, so I have nothing to say."

"Valerie, why do you always act like the victim? Like everyone is against you. You left Danny when he needed you. You left your friends and family behind and just ran off."

Anger rose in Valerie as she looked at Tucker, "Oh sure Danny had to go through so much. He was named a hero while the Red Razor became a menace."

"Well you were terrorizing him."

"I can't believe this. He **ruined** my life and still you protect him. It's always been like that though. You've never been just my friend. To you and Sam Danny always came first over everybody else. I don't even know how I thought we could have gotten over that." Tucker heard the hurt in her voice, "Do you even know what its like to have no one in your corner? You've always had your little trio. How would you like to hear your father talk about the **thing** that tried to kill you as if it were his long lost son? To listen to people talk about **him** as if he is a savior among us. I had no one Tucker, no one when I left and I can see now that I am still alone in this." With that Valerie turned on heel and walked out of the door, it slammed loudly behind her.

"You just had to bring me up, huh?" Danny said irritated. He had been feigning sleep ever since he heard her foot steps in the hall.

"Hey I was just trying to help, how was I to know she would freak about it." Tucker replied.

"She's under a lot of stress and it doesn't help that an unknown ghost wants her," Danny sighed, "I don't blame her for going off. It's a sensitive subject for her and I both."

Tucker looked over at his best friend and sighed, "Remember when I said you guys were either going to get married or kill each other?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Scratch that. You're definitely doing the marrying while the killing is all her."

"Shut up Tucker!" and with that Danny threw a badly aimed pillow at Tucker and missed by an inch.

OoOoO

Danny arrived at the dojo to see Valerie's car already there. He could hear her grunts as she put in some serious work into a punching bag he considered turning around but decided to go on in.

Valerie turned to look at him as he walked in, gave him a dirty look, and went back to the punching bag. "Hello to you too then." Danny said slightly perturbed.

He approached her as cautiously as he could. "Valerie, I thought we might do some light combat with me in phantom mode. Is that ok?"

He heard what sounded like muffled curse words before she replied, "Sounds good Fenton." She turned around and gave him a smirk that he knew was hiding her real feelings.

"Outside then?" She nodded compliantly. "Valerie before we-"

"Lets go Fenton." She growled cutting him off. He held up his hand to stop her but she just pushed through. Danny only sighed and followed her outside.

He walked up to see Valerie remove her sweats. He leaned back wondering if he should turn away until he realized she had on shorts and a sports bra on. She pressed a button on the side of her watch. Her out fit slid like black ink around her. He had to admit he was impressed, "Did you make that yourself?"

Valerie looked over at him and hoped he didn't see her jump a little at the sound of his voice. "No, it was one of the last projects that Vlad and I worked on together before the accident."

Danny heard the bit of hurt in her voice. He knew she and Masters had been like family but he still couldn't keep the monster of jealousy from rising from him. Platonic or not he didn't like hearing about guys with Valerie.

"Are you going to change or what? To think of it this will be the first time I have ever seen it happen." She raised an eyebrow at Danny, "Better be good."

He scowled at her. How dare she have expectations! Now self-conscious he decided not to go with his catch phrase. A ring appeared at his waist split in two and traveled up and down from its creation point.

He looked over at Valerie with eerily luminescent green eyes. Her face was taut and her teeth were clinched tightly. She raised a button on her watch and raised her open hand. A whizzing sound came from a distance until what looked like a bleeding inkblot raced across the sky towards them.

It was coming so fast that Danny thought it was going to crash into Valerie and was to run to her but it stopped dead at her hand. It was a large inky black glider with a lonely red bolt up its side. As she moved her hand down her glider descended as well. When it was finally low enough she hopped on.

She looked over at the surprised Danny, "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." With that he flew into the air closely followed by Valerie.

As he turned to talk to her a bright red flash assaulted him. He barely ducked in time to miss the laser aimed directly at him. In retaliation he threw a large green blast back at her. Valerie dodged the hit and came on strong. Blasts were coming from the glider left and right. Danny was dodging and returning the shots with great speed.

A well-aimed blast hit him square in the chest. His body arched in pain as another red light shot toward him. To the surprise of two opponents he caught the blasts in his hands and threw it directly at Valerie's board.

Her board was hit and she was nearly thrown off but luckily her stabilizers kicked in just in the knick of time. When she had steadied herself and looked up Danny was nowhere to be found. For the first time Valerie felt scared.

All of a sudden a pair of pale arms wrapped around her waist and held on tightly. She watched in horror as her body disappeared before her very eyes. She shut her eye but then felt her back up against something soft.

She opened her eyes to see Danny directly above her. They were on the grass of some field and he had pinned her shoulders down. She mentally thanked herself for working so hard on her equipment last night and grabbed his sides.

Danny yelled in pain as the E-gloves burned into him. He gritted his teeth and grabbed both her wrists. In a fluid motion he had her wrist pinned above her with one hand and his deathly icy lips covered hers.

Valerie was shocked stiff but after a second slowly felt herself deepening the kiss. She worked her legs until they were on the outside of his. She pulled them up and clamped them down just below his ribs.

All of Danny's air left him and he gasped for air releasing her hands. With this Valerie flipped them over and grabbed his throat. She didn't realize that tears were falling from her eyes as she looked at him with a surge of old and new emotions.

When he began to turn paler (if that was even possible) she released his throat and her knees from his sides. She then snatched off her gloves and smashed her mouth into his continuing the emotionally raw kiss he started. His hand gripped her hips pulling her down while her hands were buried in his hair pulling him up.

Suddenly reason crept back into her mind. Valerie grabbed a hold onto his muscled shoulders and slammed into the ground away from her. She sat up and looked into his handsome face that was full of hurt.

"We can't do this." She looked at him sullenly. She tried to break his icy green stare but she couldn't get herself to look away from him.

"Why not?" he asked lifting himself up, kissing her on the cheek and slowly working his way down her jaw to kissing her on the neck. "I love you so much Valerie and I am so sorry for not being honest with you. Please forgive me, please," he pleaded in between kisses.

Valerie held Danny close to her. The iciness of his breath and lips on her neck was almost too much to bear. She felt herself rocking back and forth slowly grinding into his groin.

"No!" she said suddenly forcing him down to the ground and quickly standing up. "I can't do this." she nearly whispered and turned away.

Danny got onto his feet. Anger began to appear among his pain, "Why the hell won't you forgive me Valerie?"

"Its not about forgiveness Danny. I've already forgiven you." With that she began to walk away towards the parking lot.

"Then what is it about, huh? Pride?" Valerie stopped dead in her tracks, "I knew it. It's always been your goddamn pride Valerie, that's your only sin," he hissed.

"Pride is the only thing that's kept me sane Daniel." Danny was shocked she called his name like that. "Through it all: my mom's disappearance, my arrival in Amity Park, my rise to popularity and my fall (thanks to you), and you deceit. Pride was the only thing that kept me going and I sure as hell am not going to give it up now." She turned and stomped off towards her car.

It felt, to Danny, like he had been shot point blank in the heart. He watched her stalk away unable to move. He had hurt her he never meant to hurt her. His eyes welled up. Why couldn't he just say the right things? Why did it seem that every time he came up in her life she got hurt? Tears rolled down his cheek. He loved her so much and yet he couldn't get her to give in to him.

He sat down and ran his hand through his snow-white hair. He couldn't stand being there any longer so he stood up and began to fly home. They had decided earlier that they would take the last day afforded to them to be with their families just in case. Danny rubbed his temples as he flew. After this he didn't know if he could stand having to sit through another awkward post-Phantom dinner with an extra helping of Armageddon on top. Danny sighed as he flew over the city trying not to notice Valerie car heading toward her father's house.

OoOoO

Valerie was grateful no one was on the road, as she wasn't paying much attention to the road. Everything was a blur as she aimlessly turned the wheel hoping to find the way home. Thoughts flew across her mind and the tears began to fall.

By luck she was able to find her way and pulled into the garage. Her father wasn't home so she turned off the car and closed the garage door. She dragged herself from the car, up the stairs and to her room. She closed and locked the door. Losing all self will she threw herself across the bed.

Tears began pouring down her face as she let out all of her pain and anger. Her fists began to slam on the mattress as she screamed into her pillow, "I HATE YOU DANNY! I love you, but you make me hate so much!"

She cried until she ran out of tears then there was nothing but her dry sobs that began to hurt her throat. She heard footsteps outside her door. "You okay in there Valerie?"

She made her voice sound as clear as possible, "I'm okay Daddy."

"Okay honey its just that I thought I heard crying."

"I'm watching Lifetime."

"Understood."

Valerie listened as her dad walked away. '_Works every time_' she thought. She rolled over in bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day but she was going to be spending it with her dad. Her weeping had taken much energy out of her. She sighed and as her eyes were closing and as she drifted off to sleep her last thought was:_ 'I love you Danny.'_

* * *

First of all I want to say that this chapter is dedicated to a friend of mine. She is so awesome because she made me a c.d. for Valentine's Day. On this certain c.d. was the Danny Phantom theme song, the Ember song, and a certain song about peaches by Presidents of the United States of America. So Happy Valentines Day to: Rasheedat 

You rock my socks girl!

P.s.: thinking about starting up with NXU a.k.a. Next X Universe. Wish me luck.

Love forever,

Freshgal


	8. Last Meal

_Ciao gente bella,_

_That means "hello beautiful people" in Italian. I have so much to say. First of all, sorry for the wait, my writing has suffered because of lack of energy. My head is spinning. I read like two pages of my book and I haven't read anything since. I received my first flame for my story "Please". For those who have read it I make no apologizes but it is getting deleted in a week Thanks to Evilevergreen, the story you suggested was awesome. As for ShyDragonne, who is an excellent Inuyasha writer, she knows the consequences if she pulls another stunt like that, but that's an internal conflict between two posters. Anyway "Requiem for a Hunt" really doesn't want to be written and I think I am going to trash it. I just heard one of my favorite songs that I am turning into a songfic for the 10th chapter. I'm going to try to keep this story fairly on target because I have about three big projects on my plate at the moment, but you guys are still at the top of the list :-D. Anyways this is chapter 8 for my homies. Yeah I like to keep it gangsta (rotfl)._

* * *

Danny woke up that morning groggy and sluggish. It was then that he realized that the temperature in his apartment had dropped at least ten degrees. He got out of bed and walked over to the thermostat. The air conditioning was off. He walked over to a window and opened it. The air outside was much worse. He looked up and saw that the sky was swirling faster than before. 'Countdown' he thought to himself.

After closing the window and turning on the heater he headed to the bathroom to ready himself for the battle this day would be. He looked into the mirror at his reflection. Around his throat were two Valerie-sized hand print bruises.

"Damn" he coughed out. "Oh shit!" he had lost his voice.

He let out a near mute growl at himself as he washed his face and brushed his teeth. Reaching over, he turned on the shower. Slowly he began to undress himself, grimacing with nearly every move. As he removed his shirt he could see the second pair of handprints on his side. He looked lower and located the bruises her knees had left. He sighed and stepped into the shower.

Warm water rushed over his body as he let his mind wonder. He groaned as the water touched his sensitive bruises. Why did it have to be like this? Why couldn't she just break down and say what he knew was in her heart. She loved him he knew it. "God, Tucker's right." he hissed at himself but he still couldn't get her from out of his head.

Despite her actions last night he still loved her. He couldn't stop thinking about how soft her lips were. How her hair sprawled out on the green grass. The look on her face as they kissed. The feel of her body under his…

"GET IT TOGETHER DANNY!" he roused himself from his day dream and stopped his traveling hand. He had to stop this, someway somehow. He sighed and turned off the water. He leaned up against the tile wall steadying himself before exiting the stall.

He removed his towel from the rack and gingerly patted dry his toned body before wrapping it around himself. He walked into the bedroom and went to the closet. He looked through the hangers, on the floor, and on the shelves for his desired items. He pulled out five items. They consisted of a pair of black saggy jeans, a black vest and three new turtleneck sweaters. The first one he tried on was lime green and as he looked into the mirror he almost puked at the sight of Paullina's face stitched into the front. 'How did she get this past me?' he wondered his stomach still churning. It was the same thing with the baby blue on but luckily the white one was blank.

He looked into the mirror to make sure that the turtleneck covered the bruises, it did. "Okay, I can rock this." Danny put on the jeans, sweater, and vest then grabbed a pair of socks and a white skullcap out of his drawer before heading down stairs. He put on the pair of black Timberlands that he kept by the door and headed to the elevator. Halfway down he remembered that he had left his car at the dojo. He was too tired to change and fly over there so he just decided to walk to Fenton Works instead.

He waved goodbye to the desk clerk and headed out the door. He immediately shoved his hand into his pockets as the icy cold air hit him. The city was quiet but ghost signals came from his mouth five seconds. He knew he needed to save his energy and that none of the ghosts were going to do anything. This was the calm before the storm but nevertheless his blue eyes scanned the streets for danger.

He walked slowly; the longer it took to get there the better. It wasn't like he didn't love his family, because he did heart and soul. It was just the fact that when it came to him and phantom it was best to keep away, for peace's sake. He sighed and continued walking as if the gallows were his destination. In fact he may have liked them more.

OoOoO

Valerie's body groaned and writhed under the covers. "Danny" her voice softly called, "Danny, please." Her legs, which were wrapped around her body pillow, squeezed tightly again and again pulling it closer into her.

She sucked in through her teeth and squeezed tighter. Her breaths became shorter and shallower. Her chest began to rise and lower faster and faster. Her manicured hands clawed at her pillow.

"Danny!" her voice was loud enough to wake her from her slumber. Her eyes popped open and it took her a minute to realize where she was.

She groaned and looked at the body pillow she had trapped into her. She immediately kicked it away and sat up in bed. She let her head fall into her hands. All night long it had been like this. She had dreamed of nothing but that blue-eyed devil and wished it would stop.

Of course she had had the reoccurring dream, as always, but it wasn't the only one this time. She dreamed of her wedding day with Danny as the groom. She dreamed of being with him again, touching and comforting him. She even dreamed of little tan kids with black hair and green eyes running around but this was not acceptable.

'_No matter how loving, passionate, or gorgeous he is you are not allowed to let the enemy win!' _she reminded herself.

She slid out of bed still tired from an uneasy sleep. She suddenly wanted to go back under as she felt the icy cold air. As she shivered back under the covers she began to meditate on things in her life.

_Passionate._ The word popped back into her head. It hung with her. Danny was all of the above the most passionate creature she had ever met. Sometimes she wondered if he was too passionate. He was emotionally reckless, she had seen that yesterday but it wasn't the first time.

Danny was the cynical "_I don't take crap from anybody even if you can beat my ass."_ kind of a guy. That's what she loved about him. He was so clever but sometimes so irrational.

She remembered the day she finally realized that she loved him. They were in their junior year of high school, she had cried because she had failed her math test and her teacher was threatening to give her an F in the class. It was a few nights after the first frost of the season and Danny had led her to a house with a garden arc that was once covered with big beautiful roses. Nearly all didn't survive the frost except for a huge blossom all the way at the top of the arc.

She turned to thank Danny for the thought but he was gone. He had jumped over the fence easily and was now trying to figure out how to climb up the arc.

"Danny." she whispered.

"What?" he whispered back not looking to her.

"Get back here!"

"No."

"Danny!"

"What is it gorgeous?" he whispered suavely.

She was set back by his use of words but remained diligent, "Danny, If you don't get your crazy, daredevil…" she sighed and finished in a softer whisper, "absolutely adorable ass back down here before you hurt yourself."

Her words were too late he was already climbing up "Don't worry Baby, everything is a-okay."

She winced with every step he took before she realized what he had said, "Did you just call me Baby."

"Well you said my ass was absolutely adorable."

"I meant you were and you weren't supposed to hear that," she giggled.

"Whatever my angel" he responded softly still shimming up the arc before turning to see the look of worry and annoyance in her eyes. He laughed as he reached the top of the arc. "Ow!" he said suddenly and grabbed his shoulder.

"Danny!" Valerie nearly yelled. Lights turned on in the house and footsteps were on the stairs.

Danny quickly snatched off the blossom and jumped to the ground. He grabbed his left leg and the back door began to open. He jumped over the fence yanked Valerie's hand and limped/ran with her until they were safely out of harm's away.

Valerie turned to look at him. He looked triumphant with a big smile on his face. She just sighed and began to inspect the damage as the worry never let her face and the smile never left his.

She saw that his jeans had a rip from jumping over the fence, his ankle was twisted, and there was a deep cut on his collarbone. She touched it gingerly before looking up in his eyes and half whispering, "Oh, Danny, you hurt yourself."

His smile didn't leave as he raised his right hand, "But I got you this." In his hand was the blossom, seemingly unharmed from the escape. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. "And I know just where to put it."

He proceeded to place it behind her ear when she asked, "Danny its so beautiful but why would you do something like that for me?"

He let his mouth follow his hand as he first kiss her right below the ear making her gasp then lifting slowly to whisper, "Its because I love you Valerie and I would do anything for you. Anything."

Danny leaned back and smiled at her. She looked so perfect with the large rose contrasting with her green eyes. Suddenly she reached up and pulled him down to a brief kiss. His smile grew wider as he laced his fingers behind her head for support and leaned down to give the deepest kiss that either had had in their young lives.

Valerie was awakened for her memories by a knock on the door. "Come in.," she whispered faintly.

"As you can see it's too cold to have that picnic we wanted so how does hot chocolate and Scrabble sound?"

"That actually sounds really nice." she responded truthfully. All she wanted to do now is spend some quiet time with her Dad before tomorrow.

OoOoO

Danny was hesitant to knock on the door but knew he had too. A woman with red hair and a flowered dress on answered the door. "Danny you're here!" she cried out giving him a big hug. He winced.

"Hey mom," he returned enthusiastically with a bit of a bear hug. "I missed you a lot."

Maddie laughed, "Come inside, all that ghost activity has it freezing out there."

He entered the house and was quickly led to the dinning room where younger redhead sat at the table looking over paper unaware of the new guest.

"Jazz, the spazz. Stop working and give your baby bro a hug." Danny was surprised at his sudden excitement to see his family. Why had he stayed away so long?

His older sister ran over to hug him, "Aw, Danny, we missed you so much." She gripped him tightly around the waist. He kept himself from crying be draping his upper body on her until she had to let go because of the weight.

He smiled at her and laughed hiding his true emotions. "So, Madam Mayor, how are things with us?"

"Well were in the middle of a major ghost crises and we could all die if anything goes wrong and we can't even evacuate!" She said her lips trembling.

All of a sudden they all broke out into laughter. Somehow they just couldn't keep a straight face. As many times as ghost's had tried to take over Amity Park the entire idea was laughable.

"Woo," Maddie said wiping tears from the corner of her eyes, "It's so good to have the family back together again."

Everyone sat at the table and Maddie went into the kitchen to get the food.

"So, how has it really been going little brother?" Jazz inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh, it's been an experience," Danny stated truthfully.

Jazz could see the far off look in his eyes. Daniel was here but Danny was somewhere else. "How is Valerie?" she asked cautiously.

"Love, Pain, Hate, more Pain you know nothing new," he sighed, "everything I say is crap and everything I do is well wanted but not accepted." Danny always felt he could be open with his sister. She was usually his voice of reason.

"You know you can't blame her Danny," Jazz sighed unhappily at the tone of her young sibling's voice, "she's confused and alone." She wanted to kick herself as his face deepened with sadness, "but she's strong." Jazz smiled trying to cheer him.

He immediately plastered a smile on his face as their mother reentered the room with containers of food. "Alright, everyone, dinner is served." She looked at her kids' overly happy moods, "why does it seem that when I come in I have always missed something important?"

The three just laughed it off and began to fix their plates. Danny was passing the mashed potatoes to Jazz when Danny asked the question that started the end, "So, um, where's dad?"

Jazz looked down at the mash potatoes as Maddie cleared her throat, "Honey you know your father would have loved to eat with us but he is very hard at work at the moment."

Danny's heart began to sink as he realized the reason that he hardly came back: his father. "So he's still on his conquest to cure me."

His mother sighed, "Oh, Danny, don't be like that you know that your father loves you and he's only trying to help."

"The last time he tried to help me he nearly killed me." His temper had risen, "why can't he just accept me for who I am."

"Because I know that being a ghost is not who you truly are." Everyone turned to see a large man with graying black hair.

"Jack please don't, we were getting along so nicely" Maddie interrupted.

"No," he replied calmly, "Danny has to understand that no matter what I will stop at nothing to rid him of the demonic presence that has over took him."

"Dad, why can't you understand that this is who I am?" Danny changed into Phantom before his father's eyes, "Its not some demon, its me. Phantom and Danny are the same."

"I just can't except that as an answer son." Jack looked at his son before turning his back.

"Be that way." Danny phased through the ceiling and jet going up until he felt the chilly air he decided to fly and spend time with his friends.

OoOoO

Tucker had been released from the hospital early and was now hanging out at his apartment with Sam as a diligent nursemaid. She had been waiting on him hand and foot all day.

"Tucker, are you thirsty?" she asked from the kitchen.

"No thanks, I'm good." Tucker heard a knock at the front door and was just getting up to answer it when Sam flew through.

"Don't you dare move a muscle Tucker Foley, we don't want you ripping those stitches."

"One time, one time and you guys can't let me tie my own shoes without three people's help." Sam only laughed and opened the door.

"Hey Tuck look who it is," she said dragging in a slightly surprised Danny.

"Hey man." he said to his newly arrived friend.

"Hi Tucker." Danny said with a smile.

"Come with me Danny. Cripple over there has kept you the entire time we need to catch up."

"Bye man." Tucker laughed as he watched Danny be dragged into the kitchen.

Sam pulled Danny behind her and closed the door. She hugged him tightly and held him in her arms to look at him. "Dude it's been so long."

"Uh, not really we saw each other last week." Danny looked at her with confusion in his eyes, "Are you okay Sam, because you are acting a little weird."

"I'm fine Danny. It's just that I'm worried about you. I've been talk to Tucker and I know that you've been going through a lot."

He looked down at his friend and smiled. "I'm okay Sam, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" she asked with worry.

"Yea I'm sure."

OoOoO

Valerie felt a surge of sadness enter her heart and she wondered if Danny was okay. She looked up from the Scrabble board to see her dad was eying her cautiously.

"Are you alright Val?"

"Yeah Daddy I'm okay." she lied.

"Okay because I've got you beat with equality. E-Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y."

"Oh really," she raised her eyebrow and proceeded to make her move, "Eccentric. E-C-C-E-N-T-R-I-C."

"How in the world did you pull that off?"

"I'm just that good."

Dameon just smiled and shook her hand with good sportsmanship. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"If I can pull of eccentric in Scrabble I can do anything." They both laughed.

"I know you can do it. You're a Gray."

"If you drop all the way down to a security guard, work hard, go to night school and finally get your PhD then I can beat some stupid ghost."

"That's my girl" Dameon hugged his daughter close and kissed her forehead. If anyone can do it, it would be Valerie. For that he thanked god.

* * *

_Okay so I ended it kind of sappily but come on. Everyone needs love sometime._

_Keep it Fresh,_


	9. Mystery Revealed?

_Joy,_

_This is it. Chapter 9 is here. I'm so excited! Can you feel it? The urge to skip past my greetings of optimism and love to get started reading this great chapter. Well you better not. I take my time to share my heart and feelings with you and I will not be ignored, but since I am not at your computer holding your face to the screen to make you obey me I will just have to hope you care. Just jokes, I really don't care. But for those who do I ask…… Can you dig it?_

_Freshgal_

* * *

All was in Tucker's apartment. The three who were currently reclining there looked at each other cautiously through the awkward silence. The talking had stopped at ten o'clock. It was now 11:30.

Tucker interrupted the silence, "So are we sure its going to happen at twelve? I mean come on it can't be that predictable."

"Tucker," Sam broke in, "How long have you helped fight ghosts?"

"Since Danny turned into Phantom in our freshman year of high school."

"And how many times did you have to use your PDA to stop Skulker since then."

"I sort of lost count at 38."

"And lets not forget to ask, how many sci-fi, horror, and fantasy movies you've seen."

"Okay, okay I get it, but I still don't understand why ghosts can be so set on something."

"Imprints." the raven-haired boy in the corner spoke up.

"What?"

Danny continued, looking forward at nothing as if he was lost in his mind, "Those who die and become ghosts they become imprinted with their last want. It becomes desire, obsession, the thing that keeps them from moving on."

"Oh, I get it," Sam spoke up, "Spectra has her beauty, Skulker has his hunting, and Ember wants to be heard. That's amazing Danny, where did you learn that?"

His face suddenly became sullen and his voice became more distant, "From my father."

The room became quiet again. Only the clock broke the silence. It deafening ticking was enough to cause even the most stable man go insane.

Suddenly a soft ringing filled the room. All eyes shot toward Danny's pocket as he slowly lifted his cell phone out of it and checked the name. "Its her." rolled across the front. He had put it there in high school and even after having three new phones he had not changed it.

He opened the phone, gave a look to answer the others' question, and said, "Hello."

"Danny," Valerie's voice was clear and gentle, "Are you ready?"

He looked at the clock it was almost 11:55, "I'll be there in a minute." He waited for her response but all he got was a decisive click. He sighed and hung up the phone. Looking over at his friend he smiled and said, "Showtime."

"It's about time you guys get to the station, you know, just in case."

"Yeah, we know Danny." Tucker sighed.

Sam rose up and hugged him deeply, "Keep safe Daniel Fenton." She looked up into his eyes. There was something in hers he couldn't recognize. She smiled and stepped back.

"Yeah keep safe man." Tucker reached up and grabbed his hand.

"Will do my friend." Danny shook Tucker's hand before releasing it. He looked at his friends, "Well onto battle." They smiled at him.

He walked out of the door and turned into Phantom. He didn't want Sam to see the bruises and worry. He phased out of the building and flew to the center of the city where he knew he would find her.

OoOoO

Valerie had changed at her dad's house and was flying to the center if the city. As she flew though the freezing city she was glad that her suit had an insulation option. Her eyes focused on the city below. It was so quiet as the time ticked slowly to the midnight hour.

It took her very little time to reach the center of the city. She looked for him. She had called Danny's cell earlier and expected him to be there by now. It was already 11:57. Licking and biting her lower lip nervously, Valerie scanned the view once more.

"You know I still find that really sexy."

Valerie looked to her left just in time to see Danny's body become tangible beside her.

"Always a cynical one, my Danny" she sighed. Her words surprised him with their gentle emotion. She looked over at him and smiled almost painfully, "I'm sorry about our fight. I ruined what could have been our last-."

"Don't Valerie," Danny interrupted, "Please, I'm the only one to blame here. Valerie no matter what happens here today I-"

Something large rushing past his head cut off his words. Danny ducked and looked ahead of them. Stones were coming from all directions and began forming floating walls and floors. Danny grabbed Valerie's hand and pulled them safely above the flying rocks. They kept coming until an elaborate structure was created.

"A palace in the middle of the city, oh and look 12:00 on the dot." Danny commented cynically.

"So very predictable." Valerie agreed. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

He led the way descending down to the entrance of the palace. They both stopped a minute to take a breath before entering.

The structure was completely hollow on the inside with long tapestries hanging from the ceiling. They flew cautiously as the looked for danger. Suddenly the doors of the entrance slammed shut.

They turned to see a bright violet glow coming from the middle of the room. From it a large body appeared. It was Fright Knight but he was different. He was more massive and the energy coming from him was almost painful.

"Valerie, Phantom, I am so glad you could join me."

" Fright Knight! So you're the mystery ghost. Huh, I thought you just worked for other people now." Danny mocked.

"Well you would know." Fright Knight returned eerily. Danny's blood curdled. The comment hit a sensitive area of the halfa's psyche. He gritted his teeth and prepared for battle.

"Hold up a sec," Valerie interrupted, "You're the guy that was with the ghost king. What do you want with me?"

"Well not only are you a highly wanted kill in ghost world, you were the perfect bait to get Phantom to come," the dark ghost answered, "and now that you are both here I can get rid of two birds with one stone." He laughed maniacally as he raised his Soul Shredder.

Danny suddenly shot a huge blast at him hitting his chest. Valerie got ready for the next attack immediately. The massive Fright Knight rose easily from the attack he laughed again as he sent countless blasts upon the two that were easily dodged.

The ghost huntress turned to face him and began to fire ecto blasts from her glider. The evil spirit turned his attention from the halfa and focused on the female. After firing off a few distracting shots he reached into his chest and pulled out what looked to be black gunk. He threw it straight into the poor huntress's face with a wicked smile.

The gunk went straight for her eyes blinding her. Valerie was suddenly hit with a sudden flood of fear as her senses were taken over by the black substance. He worst fears played out in front of her in sort of virtual out-of-body experience.

She suddenly was once again in the throne room. As the red eyed creature came closer her body instantly became rigid and fell off her board to the floor.

"Valerie!" Danny screamed as he saw his love's body fall to the floor. He began to fly toward her but Fright Knight caught him in a headlock.

"Do not worry my raven haired foe," the dark thing hissed in his ear, "there's plenty for you too." He once again reached into where his heart should have been and pulled out the blackness. Danny stifled a yell as the hunk was smashed into his eyes.

OoOoO

He was suddenly taken to a dark place. There were fallen buildings everywhere and with a closer look bodies littered the ground. It was a place he had been before, it was the dark future. He looked up to the sky to see a sickening scene.

It was the final fight. On a hastily repaired board, the red razor was taking her last stand against her powerful enemy. Dan Phantom looked at his adversary with evil grin on his face.

Valerie gritted her teeth as she held her broken and dislocated arm. Her chest lifted and lowered heavily. She didn't have much longer until her pain was ended but it seemed that her opponent was going to drag it out as long as he could.

Danny tried in vain to lift himself off the ground to defend her but he couldn't. He tried yelling and screaming to bring the hate of his future self upon him but his voice was not heard be the two. Tears streamed down his cheek as he watched as the battle began again.

OoOoO

Valerie smashed the E-gloves into her eyes. She listened to the deafening sound of hissing as globs of the gunk fell from her eyes. She didn't stop until there was none of it left on her. She stood up shaking as her stomach churned.

Fright Knight looked down at the quaking girl. Her lips trembled as she slowly turned her gaze up to meet his. He threw his head back, letting the palace shake with his laughter.

"Well it seems that you have released yourself from your nightmares," he spat at her, "but now that the other is preoccupied with nightmares of his own it is now the time of your demise."

Valerie steadied herself and prepared for the fight. "Come and get some, you bastard." she yelled.

He only smiled and lifted his sword.

OoOoO

Danny could hardly keep his stomach down as he looked up. He was watching himself kill the love of his life. It was tortuously slow and drawn out but he couldn't turn his eyes away.

Dan Phantom would let her get close enough to him to cause a bit of damage, giving her false hope, and then just blast her away. The blasts were not enough to cause massive injury, just enough to sting but Danny was sure that it felt a lot worse to Valerie.

The grounded halfa just wished that he could just die now. He prayed that out of nowhere something could just attack him, wound him, or maim him so that he could focus onto that physical pain instead of this sanity-destroying scene before him.

Suddenly Dan flew to Valerie and grabbed her. He held her in a deep embrace then moved his hands to cup her face. He looked into the green orbs full of tears.

That's when Danny saw something he couldn't believe, Dan's eyes had tears in them too. His face contained actual sorrow as he said something to Valerie that Danny couldn't hear.

Valerie looked at the dark ghost, at the ground littered with bodies, then back at the ghost. Her entire demeanor changed as her face became like stone. She shook her head slightly then she started shaking more furiously. This kept going until she started screaming "NO" constantly at the top of her lungs.

And then a crack broke through the air and all was silent. Sobbing filled the sound waves as Dan held a limp Valerie in his arms. His head was bowed deep into her neck and his entire body was shaking. That's when Danny that he himself was sobbing in near unison with his dark self.

Cracks of light began to invade his vision as he watched Dan and his freshly deceased love lower unto the ground. Both Dan and Danny were still crying as the globs of the nightmarish goop fell from Danny's eyes. He could still hear Dan in his head as his eyes refocused on his actual surroundings.

His eyes were suddenly drawn to a sword descending on a girl dressed in red and black. 'Valerie!' his mind quickly pulled itself back together. As he rushed toward her everything seemed to go in slow motion. She had the same stony face on just like when he…

Danny couldn't let that happen. He just couldn't see her die right in front of him again. Not this time. As he flew toward her he could hear the sound waves of the slowed beats of her heart slamming themselves into his ears.

OoOoO

Valerie raised her head high. She had taught herself not to scream though she knew that this was the end. Sudden clarity flashed before her. If she had had the chance she would have told Danny how much she loved him. How she wished they could be together.

She mentally sighed. There could have been so much happiness if she had not scorned him. They could have been married. She could have been happy.

As the sword came down upon her she closed her eyes. She breathed deeply and whispered what she knew would be her last word, "Danny."

The cold blade never came down upon her. She waited longer but nothing came. That when she heard it. Deep, exasperated breaths directly in front of her. She opened her eyes and gasped.

There in front of her was Danny holding up the soul shredder as bright red blood ran courses from his palms down to his pale wrists and arms. She couldn't tear her eyes from the contrast of color.

"Valerie," he hissed through gritted teeth but she didn't hear him.

"Valerie!" he nearly yelled as Fright Knight bore down harder onto his hands.

"Yes," she answered back breaking out of her trance.

"Get down low behind me, cover your ears tightly, and stay close."

"Why."

"Valerie! Will you do what I say for Christ's sake."

Valerie lowered herself to the ground. She stayed very close to Danny's larger frame and tightly covered her ears. She unconsciously leaned forward against his legs for support.

This was the sign that let Danny know that she was ready. With that he opened his mouth and took in as much air as his lungs could hold. He let it all out in one of, if not, his strongest ghostly wail possible.

Fright Knight was sent flying back. His body became trapped in the wail and slowly disintegrated into nothingness. All that was left of him was a black helmet, dead and lifeless.

Danny sunk to his knees in exhaustion. He could hardly breathe and he was dwindling in and out of consciousness. He hung his head.

"Danny, I-," but Valerie was cut off by a familiar whooshing. The stone palace was imploding in on itself.

Danny quickly put up a shield to protect them. "Valerie hurry," he hissed through his teeth, "I can't hold this up for much longer."

Valerie immediately understood. She called over her glider with her watch. The two climbed on.

The heavy stones fell onto the shield. Valerie watched as her companion held up the force field with the last few bits of his strength.

They had barely made it out of the collapsing palace when Danny's shield faded. His body began to slump as it switched from Phantom form back to his human from. Valerie reached around to hold his chest and keep him from falling from the glider.

They flew in silence to the station. When they arrived she saw that a welcoming party was standing at the door. She flew down toward them and landed.

Two officers came forward and took the unconscious man from her arms. She saw her father come up to her and as he wrapped his arms around her she slipped into a comfortable darkness.

OoOoO

Valerie groaned as everything slowly came back. She shifted on the softness below her. She opened her eyes to see the tiled white ceilings of the station. She rose quickly then grabbed her head. It hurt badly but it was only from stress.

She looked around the room. Her father's head was nodded in sleep as he sat in a chair in the corner. She looked at the clock it read 4:45 am. She silently sucked in through her teeth as she slid from the cot. The only thing on her mind was finding him.

She opened her door to see a few stragglers from what seemed to be a "Thank God We Survived" party. They consisted of Star, Tucker, Sam, and an unconscious Dash. The ones who were awake looked over to see her. She smiled and put a finger to her lips.

"My dad is asleep," she mouthed. They came up one by one and congratulated her. Tucker was the last. Before he could leave she grabbed his arm and whispered into his ear "Where's Danny?"

He gave her a look she to as a caution sign then answered, "He's in his office."

She smiled and thanked him as he pointed her to the door. She looked at the knob and breathed deeply. She was scared. She didn't know why, but she suddenly lost her nerve.

Valerie was almost turned around when the door opened. Danny stood before her. He looked at her a minute before moving to the side to let her in. She slowly proceeded into the well-lit room.

She leaned against the desk as he closed the door. Anger was rising from him. Somehow she knew she was the cause of it. He looked pretty scratched up. And his hands were bandaged.

"Danny I-"

"You wouldn't move." he said through gritted teeth. "You were just going to stand there and let him kill you. You were ready to die right in front of me."

Valerie squirmed under his harsh words. "You didn't even care did you. That sword was coming down on you and I'd be damned if you didn't even try. Don't you have anything to live for? Your father, your friends, me."

She looked into his eyes. They were so full of hurt and sorrow. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing could come out.

"I'm done Valerie." Danny turned into Phantom and before she could say anything had phased through the ceiling.

She gasped trying to catch her breath but she knew she had to get to someplace before it happened. She rushed through the outer room not paying attention to the others as she ran for the stairs.

Luckily for her the police station had two floors and she was on the second. She stumbled and nearly fell down the stairs when her legs gave out. She broke down and started bawling. She just couldn't help it as all of her emotions poured out of her.

"Danny!" she cried out between sobs, "Danny!"

She was at the end of her rope and didn't know where to turn to. She was pretty sure he wouldn't come and he probably couldn't even hear her. Goosebumps raised across her skin as a pair of ice-cold arms wrapped around her trembling form.

OoOoO

Star stood with her ear to the cup that she had placed against the door to the stairs. Two others anxiously crowded behind her waiting.

"Danny. Danny. More sobs." she announced, "Wait someone else is talking…Its Danny!"

"What is he saying Satellite?" Tucker cried instantly, "I meant to say Star."

"Hush Tucker," Star hissed and gave him an evil look, "Ok. Sorry. Sorry. Baby I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Baby. Please don't cry. I love you so much."

The last statement sent a shadow across Sam's face. "I'm done with this I'm going to go see myself."

"Wait," Star said urgently.

"What!" the other two cried.

"I don't hear anything."

Sam looked at her before bursting through the stair door. She nearly ran down the stairs to find no one there.

OoOoO

Danny held Valerie close to him as he flew through the remarkably warmer night. He could feel the wetness of her tears against the flesh of his arm. He sighed and adjusted her so that she was even closer than before.

That's when he saw what he was looking for. It was one of the few satellite dishes that didn't have to do with the paranormal.

He landed so that he would be lying down in the dish.

"Stretch out and look up Valerie." he whispered in her ear. She followed his words and was treated to a beautiful surprise.

Stars peeked at her from a totally clear sky. She gasped at their beauty. Snuggling up closer to him that's when she heard it.

"Do you hear those whispers?" she asked as she looked into the otherworldly beauty of his glowing green eyes.

"Yeah they are the radio waves that hit the dish. Watch this," with that he covered her ears with his hands. "Focus," he mouthed.

As she focused she began to hear one of her favorite stations. She smiled as the love song played. "How are you doing this?" she asked.

He just shrugged, "Don't know it's a new power."

She smiled and lowered her head onto his chest. And as she slipped into that familiar darkness she knew that there was no place she'd rather be than with him.

OoOoO

Dark black boots stepped over the ground below where the Palace was created. They kept walking until they stood in front of an old iron helmet.

A white-gloved hand reached down and picked it up. It held the helmet over and away and it began to glow in a violet light. Within minutes a regenerated but week Fright Knight came from the helmet.

The gloved hand released it the helmet. Fright Knight bowed low enough to kiss the boots.

"Your plan worked perfectly my master."

"Yes," came a deep voice, "Now the waiting begins."

* * *

_Am I freaking you out. Isure hope so. Just when you thought it was over. Get ready for a big surprise._

_Seal it, Lock it, and Keep it FRESH._


	10. Chapter 11

_Uhh Party peeps,_

_This is very hard to explain so I am going to have to split personalities for a minute._

_Personalities Good Freshgal, Bad Freshgal, Evil Freshgal_

_Good Freshgal: "As you know chapter 10 was supposed to be a songfic but the more I wrote the more lemon-y the chapter got until…"_

_Bad Freshgal: "It turned into an awesome freak-fest."_

_Good Freshgal: "Well sort of. Its just that I like to follow the rules and don't want to get kicked off the site."_

_Bad Freshgal: **coughs** "Pussy"_

_Good Freshgal: "Excuse her. Well anyway its still a good chapter, it was co written by InaShioriInuyashazgurl who is so awesome btw, but not entirely necessary for the story. So instead I have just skipped a chapter that's why this is named chapter 11._

_Bad Freshgal: I don't see what the problem is. Danny is just too cute and funny not to be a total freak. I mean it makes perfect sense that he would eat her..."_

_Good Freshgal: **Quickly covers Bad Freshgal's mouth and smiles awkwardly.** "Umm, you know what let's just get to chapter 11 shall we. But if you really want to read chapter 10 email me, okay._

_Evil Freshgal: **Rubs her hands together wickedly** "Will there be blood and suffering in this one?"_

_Good Freshgal: "No blood, but a little suffering."_

_Evil Freshgal: "Aw." **Pouts.**_

* * *

Eleven-year-old Valerie looked up at the woman above her. Her afro hung above her like a brown halo and her green eyes that looked over the field around them sparkled like the smile upon her face. Val's small hands tugged gently at the black belt that hung from the waist of the woman's Judogi to get her attention.

The woman's smile widened, "You are always the eager on my little Judoka protégé"

Valerie smiled, "I am always ready mama."

Odeda ruffled her daughter's curly hair and after taking a few steps back said, "Show me your Nage no kata."

The young girl sighed and went through the steps as if she were doing something as routine as if it was as simple of as task as brushing her hair.

Valerie was a child prodigy when it came to Judo. She and her mother traveled to foreign places and went against other highly trained students from around the world and won. She had brought great pride to her mother's dojo.

One after the other her mother called out the different katas and Valerie followed each one perfectly. It was if they were having a conversation. They were so in sync with each other it was almost scary.

After finishing her last kata Valerie bowed to her mother. Her mother smiled but didn't bow back.

"Today is not a day to fight, Valerie."

"Why not?" the girls pouted.

Odeda just smiled and walked over to her daughter. She sat cross-legged beside her before tapping the place beside her. Valerie took her place sitting at her mother's side.

"Valerie, I will not be here forever."

"Mom, don't say that."

"Ah, but it is true. One day you will not have me and you must understand something."

"What?"

"Not everything can be fought with your fists."

"Who says?"

The woman laughed, "I say. Someday you will have to realize that you cannot fight every problem with judo."

Valerie sighed, "Then what do I use?"

"When the problem comes, you will know."

OoOoO

Valerie's eyes popped open and focused on the dark green ceiling above her. She hated that dream. It always came to her before something big happened. She could feel the tension of it still in her stomach.

She felt something heavy across her abdomen. She adjusted and it tightened around her slightly. She looked down and over the warm comforter to see a well-muscled arm wrapped around her. Smiling she slid in the bed closer to the warm nude mass next to her.

"You weren't trying to leave were you?" said a voice from under the pillow next to her.

"No, not that you'd let me go anyway." she responded.

"Damn right."

She giggled and lifted the pillow to kiss his cheek, "Good morning lover."

"Don't you mean good evening?"

Valerie looked over at the clock on his bedside table; it read 9:00 pm.

"Wow I didn't know it was so late."

"Val, you've only been asleep for two hours."

"Well I wasn't exactly looking at the clock, were you?"

"No."

"Then how did you know that I had only been asleep for two."

"Because I watched you sleep for the first one."

His comment had thrown her off. She smiled and kissed his cheek and then his lips, "You are such a stalker, ghost-kid."

"Hey," he opened a baby blue eye to look at her, " as long as the hair is black I'm Fenton."

"Yeah but no matter what you'll always be my Danny."

As if on cue they leaned into each other and kissed deeply. Valerie snuggled into him as close as possible. She buried her face in his neck as he held her close. She lay still as she felt his body relaxing and slowly drifting to sleep knowing that sleep would not come to her that easily.

Her mind went back to her dream. It was more of a memory of her mom almost two years before her disappearance. She remembered the day that it happened.

She and her dad had been waiting for her mother to come home from the dojo but she never did. They found her car near a river with the keys in the ignition. They called it a drowning but never found a body.

After that Valerie stopped touring. Her father sold the dojo not wanting to have the painful truth staring in the face everyday. Then they just packed up and left. Her family was well off and they didn't have any problems about it. She buried her mother once more in her head, as did her father. She as a subject became taboo.

Slowly a sound began to enter Valerie's ears. It was soft at first but slowly began to take her over. It consisted of deep, slow breaths and a constant strong heart beat. It was coming from him. It was the sound of Danny and it was the most soothing thing she had ever heard. And as she was lulled to sleep she wondered to no one in particular how she could be in love with a man so much that even in sleep he comforted her.

OoOoO

Tucker paced around his office looking at the phone that sat on his desk. It had been four days since the 'mystery ghost' and there was still no word from the heroes of the day.

Not only was he worried but also Sam had been down his throat for some odd reason. She was constantly telling him to call and find out what happened. He was sure that if he didn't do something soon he'd be a goner.

He picked up the phone and dialed, "No doctor I feel great, and of course I'm ready to go back to work. Sam will take great care of me," he mocked himself.

The phone began to ring but there was no answer. He was just about to give up when he heard a soft click and a sleepy, "Hello."

"Danny?"

"Hey Tuck. How are you man?"

"Oh I'm fine if you forgive the stitches, an insane caretaker, and the fact I haven't seen my friends in nearly a week."

Danny looked over at Valerie. She was lying in front of his stereo with headphones on wearing one of his oversized shirts trying to warp the Danger Mouse mix CD she made him in high school.

"Well, you always said I needed a vacation and plus I need some time to heal up."

"Yeah tell that to someone who doesn't know you have ghostly healing powers." Danny looked down at his hands, the cuts looked as if they had never happened. "Oh and how about I call Dameon and tell him that you're taking a well needed vacation with his daughter."

Even though Danny knew he wasn't oblivious he knew it was better to tread lightly around a man with enough ecto-guns to rival Valerie.

"Alright," he sighed, "what's up Tuck."

"Well it's just the fact that the ghosts haven't come back yet."

"So, we had a big disturbance. Its not like they are going to come back instantly."

"They did after the Shadow King,"

"True, but,"

"No buts Danny it just all seems so weird."

"Okay, I know. I'll be in tomorrow."

"Thank you."

Danny sighed and walked over to Valerie. She pulled out the headphones and moved to lean against him. He wrapped his arms around her and let himself drown in the deep beats.

Tucker sighed and scratched his head. He knew what he had to do but hated to be the one to do it. He picked up the phone and prepared his ears.

Once again a soft click, "Hey Sam."

"Yeah."

"I called Danny for you."

* * *

_Yeah I'm ending it there, sorry but this will have to do for now. Tired, work's a bitch but hey what can you do. I want to give a special shout out to ShyDragonne; sorry I haven't returned your e-mail Yahoo's a bitch too. Laugh please._

_Keep it Fresh._


	11. Friendly Talk

_"Been around the world and I, I, I  
I cant find my baby  
I don't know when, I don't know why  
Why she's gone away  
And I don't know where she can be, my baby  
But I'm gonna find her"_

_Guess who's back,_

_Oh my god. Are you serious? Freshgal actually decided to update. Gasp. I can't believe it. No way. Whatever. I missed you guys so much. I know I shouldn't have left you but my life's getting hectic. Anyways this is the first update I done since June. Yikes! My birthday was in July. Now I'm preparing for a wedding, but my lips are sealed as to who is the bride. Although in RPG I'm married with three kids (Raidon, Jin, and Gina a.k.a. Little Storm Cloud, Jay and Gigi. I love my not real kids.). Getting off point, anyways here's the update for F or C._

"Oh my god, you didn't."

"And what if I did?"

"Oh my god you did do it."

"Where do you think I am right now?"

A sweet feminine laughter filled the receiver of Valerie's cell. She sighed as Shanna got out all the giggles.

"Geez Val, I can't let you go anywhere."

"Shut up."

"Valerie's in love."

"Never fell out."

"Liar."

"I know." Valerie did a 180 so that she would be lying on her back. She slipped her foot under Danny's pillow and kicked it upwards. She caught it in her hand and placed it under her head.

"I thought you hated him."

"So did I." She licked her lips still fresh from Danny's kisses as he left for work.

"Are you being sensible about this Valerie?"

"Of course I am. Didn't you name me Queen of No Nonsense Dating?"

"Well have you already slept with him?"

Silence.

Shanna sighed. "At least tell me you used protection."

Silence.

"Valerie!"

"We were … caught up in the moment." Valerie began to entwine a strand of hair around her finger, now feeling guilty of her rash actions.

"Are you using it now?"

"Um … yea."

"You're a horrible liar Val."

"Don't be my mother Shanna. I didn't have one for the last eleven year and I don't need one popping up now."

"Valerie, don't be like that."

Valerie sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I've just been under a lot of stress lately."

"Understood." Shanna's voice suddenly became cheery. "So… does he have a brother?"

Valerie laughed. "No but he has a friend."

"Really? Well tell me more."

"Well I hope you like chocolate!"

The two young women enjoyed a well-needed laugh and let themselves unwind to the sounds of each other's voice.

OoOoO

Danny looked at the stats again hoping that his eyes were deceiving him.

"Not one."

Ever since the Fright Knight had attacked there had not been a single ghost in Amity Park. He rubbed his temples. To someone with less experience the lack of ghosts would be a blessing but Danny knew that this was an omen like non-he had ever seen before.

"Tucker, are you sure?"

"Yea man. There hasn't been a single reading." The solemn tones in Tuck's voice only furthered Danny's worries. He was freaked, and he damn well should be. "What can we do?"

"Wait." Danny sat next to Tucker and strummed his finger on his jaw. He was at a lost. He knew he should go into the Ghost Zone and consult Clockwork but something in his gut told him that now was not the time.

"Oh and Danny?"

"Yea?"

"You're having lunch with Sam at 12:45."

"When did this happen?"

The look on Tucker's face told him everything. This was something he could not miss and he had a good idea on what the subject of the meal would be.

"Alright, what restaurant?"

_Uh oh. Did Freshgal just give you a light fix? Are my junkies unsatisfied? My bad but I have a lot of updating to do. You'll live. Just kidding because I really missed you guys. I didn't mean to make this chapter so short so don't get pissed at me. Really I'm being honest. Love ya lots._

_Freshness forever._


	12. Eat and Run

_Uh Oh,_

_Sorry writer's block for forever. I am a little OCD and things were not right in the world. Don't ask. So now I'm here once more, writing. Gosh it's been so long. This is dedicated to everyone and I do mean everyone who is pissed at me for not writing._

_Forgive me_

* * *

Danny sat down at the table for two in the nice restaurant and waited for Sam. He knew she was going to make him wait but he knew she was there because her black shades were placed precisely so that they had the illusion of staring at them. He tapped his foot lightly. Sam liked the place because it was completely vegetarian. She only took him here when she wanted him to suffer. He looked up from the black reflections of the shades to look into the eyes of Sam. She looked unhappy.

"Hi Sam."

She said nothing but sat down and opened up her menu. She crossed her legs and began to tap her foot.

"Sam…."

Yet she still said nothing. A waiter came over and she ordered for the two of them not letting Danny get a word in. He gritted his teeth and folded his arms.

"Is this about Valerie?" He saw her slightly flinch at the name and kicked a leg of the table, "What is it about us Sam? What is it about her?"

"Its too fast," Sam finally looked up at him, "Its going too fast Danny. You two were separated off for five years and in less than 5 days you're sleeping together? I can't believe you Danny. Both of you were being watched over to make sure there was no delayed injuries and you just fly her off to your penthouse!" Sam's voiced hushed as she realized people were staring, " I don't think that Fright Night would be strong enough to pull off all those stunts, do you?"

The waiter came with their plates and set them down in front of the pair. Sam gave a soft smile while Danny grimaced at his plate.

He said nothing as he leaned back into his chair and poked at his food. He hated when she treated him like a child. "No, I don't-"

"And don't you think it's strange that none of the ghosts have come back yet?"

"Yes but-"

"But nothing Danny! Why are you just blowing this off? Do you know how serious this could be? Maybe if you weren't so busy being Valerie's lap dog then maybe you'd see that." Sam immediately covered her mouth but she was too late to catch her venomous words.

Danny let his fork drop onto the plate, drank a bit of his water, and wiped his mouth. He threw his napkin at the table and stood up. "Well Sam, the lap dog will take his leave," he did a mock bow to her, "but the bitch can stay." Danny turned and left Sam, sitting there not knowing she was on the verge of tears.

**DDDDDDDDDDD**

Valerie sat on her dad's sofa gripping a pillow as she received one of the worst talking to's she had ever had before.

"Do you know how worried I was about you? And there you were shacked up with that-"

"Daddy we weren't 'shacked up'."

"Then what do you call it!"

Valerie sat and sighed as the rant went on. She bit her lip desperately wanting to cover her ears. She loved her dad to death but sometimes he just forgot that she wasn't a child anymore.

"Valerie! Are you listening to me?"

"Yes sir."

**DDDDDDDDD**

Valerie lay on the soft bed in her room pouting a little. Even though she knew she could leave she stayed anyway out of respect for her dad. She let her fingers trace little figure eights in the air above her as she let her mind wander off.

A sudden tapping broke her from her serenity.

She looked around her room to find the source but saw nothing so she lied back down. The tapping started once more. This time she was able to catch a flash of white hair outside her window.

She snuck out of her bed and stood close to the wall on the side of the window. When Danny popped up again she snatched open the window and grabbed a firm fist of his snowy locks.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow."

"You play way too much Danny." Valerie smirked at him as she let his hair go.

"My bad. You looked bored. I thought you would be here."

"Well, I was bored and obviously you thought correctly."

"Um…. So, hey"

"Hi Danny. You want to come in."

"Can't. Your dad put up the sensors."

"Nice."

"Hey, you made it."

"Oh, so you're putting it on me now."

"Yep. So now I'm Alladin and you're Jasmine. So, wanna go for a magic carpet ride?"

"Ha." She pushed down on his head so that he sunk a little. He laughed and rose back up right into the trap she had set for him. His lips me hers in a soft crush and he couldn't fight the slight groan that came from his throat.

Valerie giggled and pulled back slightly only to be followed by Danny. Short bursts of siren followed by beeps went off inside the house. Valerie punched Danny's arm.

"Nice move ghost boy!"

He could only smile as he heard her father's steps. "I love you Valerie."

"Love you too Danny, now go before he tries to kill you."

"Bye baby." Danny became flew a few feet before becoming intangible and smirked as Valerie rested her chin on her hand and stared dreamily out the window. Even Damon's yelling could not spoil his mood, or hers.

**DDDDDDDDDD**

A black-gloved hand gripped Ember's throat tightly as she chocked and jerked in mid-air.

"I have another job for you."

"Never! I don't want to do it!"

"The job, or I will personally rip out those pretty little vocal chords of yours. So what will it be?"

"Ok! Ok! What do you need? Another message?"

"No, no something a little more complicated."

* * *

_Giga-gasp! What have I written! Hey first person with an account with that figures out the password gets a free private one-shot from Freshgal. Where is Freshgal from? _

_Btw. Love ya lots. Bien Suerte (hint)_


	13. Flipper

_Dear F. or C starved fans,_

_My bad. _

_Love,_

_Freshgal_

_P.S. –Hakari, your story is late but on the way. Ok make that LATE AS HELL but still on the way._

* * *

"… So Sam really said that?" Valerie lay back on her bed and snuggled a pillow into her as she stared into the moon-lit sky. Danny's large warm body pressed into her from behind and he brushed a bit of hair out of her face.

It had been a struggle to get him in there. He had to fly up then transform back to Fenton in mid-air, then catch the sheet she had let out the window and pull himself up. Now he lay next to her, telling her of yesterday's events.

"Yea… I don't understand why she's being like this." He heard a small sniff. "Aw Valerie," He cuddled her to him and kissed her cheek.

The ghost hunter pulled away a little and wiped away a few of the tears on her cheek. She hated showing weakness. Vlad had always taught her that it could be used against her so she had learned to internalize a lot.

"Valerie?" His voice was sweet with concern.

"I'm ok." Her stern voice would have fooled anyone… anyone but him.

"Valerie, no matter what she says-no matter what anyone says- you're mine. I love you and no one else." His hand touched her back comfortingly.

"That's not it." She sat up and looked back at him. "Danny, I just came back into town after how long? I'm messing with your life, your friends. I'm causing such a mess. I just… I don't know…"

With speed that she hadn't expected she was back in his arms, her head was against the pillows and those pretty baby blue eyes smiled at her. "Val… Trust me."

"Danny, "She looked up a bit mesmerized.

"Trust. Me."

She sighed and studied his face. "Ok, I trust you ghost kid." A small smirk brushed across her face as he frowned and began to tickle her.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Danny snuck out pretty easily before the sun came up. He simply jumped out the window and went ghost before he hit the ground. There was a familiar chill in the air but he brushed it off. _It's probably just the ghosts making their way back into town. It's about time._

He made his way to his car which he had parked on a side road to make sure Valerie's father didn't see. All of this sneaking reminded him of when he and Valerie were together in high school. He always had to sneak with her. Somehow he felt bad for it. He wanted in blatant and in your face. For a minute he thought that maybe he was being too obsessive but then he just laughed it off. He had to get to work, with all the new ghosts popping up the GTF would have to get its butts back on gear.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Valerie tossed and turned in her sleep after Danny left. Her head was spinning and what sounded like an old love song kept playing from far away but she could never figure out where it was coming from. She got dressed and laid back on the bed with a pillow over her head.

She arched up in emotional pain from her bed and her hands went to cover her ears. She couldn't block the sound from coming through. She screamed and shook her head. It was driving her insane.

She stumbled from the bedroom to the hallway. Her head was spinning and her mind seemed to be splitting itself in two. She screamed again and from far off she could hear her father yelling for her, trying to get to her. Something made her run, she screamed louder. "MAKE IT STOP!"

Suddenly she reached the top of the stairs. Before she could stop herself she tumbled over the first and began her descent down, hitting the rails as she did. She landed at the bottom bruised, broken, and unconscious.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

"What do you mean they're not showing up on the grid?" Danny was frustrated as he rubbed his temples and tried to calm himself.

"I mean, they're not there Danny." Tucker leaned back in his chair and sighed. It didn't make sense. Where had they all gone? With a sigh, he turned to Danny. "I don't think they're coming back, man. Maybe that episode wiped this place clean."

"I don't think that's possible, Tuck." Danny leaned back against the desk behind him and took the time to reflect on all of it. Maybe Sam was right. It shouldn't have taken this long for the ghosts to return, right? And if there were no ghosts back yet then what was it that he felt when he left Valerie's house.

Suddenly Danny's cell began to ring. He looked to see it was Dr. Gray, which was out of the ordinary because he usually called the office phone. "Hello Dr. Gray….. What... I'm on my way!"

Tucker looked to see his best friend paler than when he was in ghost mode. He was rushing around, grabbing his jacket and heading out. Tucker stood and tried to follow. "Danny! Danny, what's wrong?!"

"Valerie's in the hospital."

* * *

_Sorry. I missed you guys. Rant if you wish at The Hunt._


End file.
